Blog

In the advertising agency business, one of the most difficult things to do is acquire new clients without lying. This is because when two or more agencies are presenting to the same client, it is often the one that makes the biggest promises that wins the business. Most ad agencies stay within the ethical boundaries […]

Social Media is the newest darling of marketing. But, for all the buzz it’s generating, there is very little hard data on how or why companies use it, or how successful it is. However, that is beginning to change. The Aberdeen Group recently concluded a study that shows seven specific reasons why companies choose to use a social […]

International advertising isn’t something we get to do very often. So, when we were given the job of placing an ad in an Israeli newspaper by Figaro’s Italian Pizza, we were anxious to do it. We had never done business in Israel before and we love doing something new. And really, how hard could this be? Well, […]

What is your company’s brand promise? If you cannot answer that question quickly and confidently, then you have some unfinished work to do. Don’t feel bad. Most business people fail this test. A brand is a complicated, multi-faceted concept that is still misunderstood and over simplified by many. The brand promise is just one element […]

If you’ve been holding off marketing your business in order to save money through the recession, you’d better change your strategy now, or face losing market share. It’s not a secret anymore. Any savvy business person knows that maintaining an aggressive marketing strategy through a recession strengthens sales and increases market share. And, they typically […]

ruth is the most powerful marketing tool in your bag. I don’t mean truth in advertising, as in not making false claims and being ethical in your communication practices. That’s an obvious given to anyone with an ounce of common sense. I’m talking about being transparently honest with your audience with regard to who you […]

When you write a headline for your ad, make sure it’s so clear that someone who has never heard of you or your product will understand it. Follow this rule and your ads will perform better every time. One of the most common mistakes made by advertisers is coming up with some clever headline that […]

In our recently completed ad campaign for the Baxter Auto Parts Portland Historic Races, we increased our e-mail readership from 20.8% to 35.2% by Re-mailing. With the volume of e-mail that most people receive, sending one blast to your opt-in list simply doesn’t get the job done. There are too many recipients who, for whatever […]

If you’re in a position where you have a handful of key customers or accounts, your most critical marketing strategy right now should be enhancing personal relationships. The strength of customer loyalty is tested during bad economic times. So it’s important to make sure you work to make it harder for current customers to tell […]

Quick! Right now! Grab a piece of paper and write down your company’s mission statement. Can you do it? Can your employees do it? If you don’t do another thing after reading this, at least try this test. Gather your management team, staff, or whomever you feel is important in your company to help carry […]